Rotating Cable Hangers for Wellbore Sensor Deployment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for deploying instrument cables and control lines in oil and gas wellbores are costly, labor-intensive, and pose safety hazards due to the need for upsizing wellbores and manual clamping, which restricts rotation and increases operational costs and drilling time.
Innovation Solution
A system utilizing a flexible polymer cable with embedded sensors and rotating cable hangers that allows self-supporting deployment without clamping to the casing, enabling rotation and reducing the need for wellbore upsizing, with a metal sheath for protection and low-friction polymer for ease of movement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If cables are rigidly attached to casing with bands or clamps, then cable support and delivery down-hole is achieved, but wellbore upsizing is required increasing costs and drilling time
Solution Approach 1:
The cable support system is segmented into multiple discrete cable carriers distributed along the casing rather than continuous clamping. Each carrier independently supports cable weight, allowing standard wellbore sizes while eliminating the need for wellbore upsizing and reducing installation time
Solution Approach 2:
Cable carriers serve as intermediary components between the casing and the cables. These carriers attach to the casing and provide support points for the cables, enabling reliable cable delivery without requiring rigid attachment methods that would necessitate wellbore upsizing
2Reliability
If cables are rigidly attached to casing with bands or clamps, then cable support is achieved, but labor-intensive manual clamping is required
Solution Approach 1:
The support system is divided into pre-fabricated cable carrier segments that can be quickly attached to casing joints. This segmentation eliminates the need for labor-intensive manual clamping at every position, as carriers are strategically placed only at intervals where support is needed
Solution Approach 2:
Cable carriers are pre-positioned on the casing before cable installation, and cables are pre-attached to these carriers at the surface. This preliminary preparation eliminates time-consuming field clamping operations and significantly improves installation productivity
3Ease of operation
If cable sheave is suspended above rig floor, then cable guidance and positioning is achieved, but safety hazard from potential load failure is created
Solution Approach 1:
The cable positioning function is extracted from the suspended sheave system and integrated directly into the cable carriers that attach to the casing. This eliminates the need for a separately suspended sheave above the rig floor, removing the safety hazard while maintaining cable guidance and positioning capabilities through the carrier-casing attachment
4Productivity
If casing or tubing is rotated, then drilling and cementing operations are improved, but cable damage may occur with rigid attachment
Solution Approach 1:
The cable carrier system is designed with dynamic characteristics that allow it to accommodate casing rotation. The carriers are attached in a manner that permits rotational movement of the casing while maintaining cable support, enabling drilling and cementing operations to proceed without risking cable damage
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for rapid deployment of fiber optic distributed sensing cables, conventional electronic cables, or hydraulic control lines in the annulus of a wellbore along a specific well zone without the need to clamp cables to the casing or tubing string for support.